04 November 2016

Quote of the Day: Gun Control in 1780

"False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils, except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm those only who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty—so dear to men, so dear to the enlightened legislator—and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer? Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

~ Cesare Beccaria, Italian political philosopher, 1738 to 1794


Isn't it amazing how little the anti-gun arguments have changed in 200+ years?

6 comments:

Peteforester said...

Our government will no more relieve me of my gun than it will relieve my German Shepherd of her teeth!

Rev. Paul said...

And for the same reason. Well said.

LindaG said...

Very good post. Thank you for sharing it, Reverend.

Blessings.

Guffaw in AZ said...

Yes! They'll keep beating that same drum, though.
It's all they have...

gfa

Rev. Paul said...

Linda - you're welcome.

Guffaw - that's true, because if they had anything else, they'd use that, too.

Sandy Livesay said...

Rev Paul,

Well Stated!